Trial Date Set for George Huguely Civil Suit

The civil case against former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely, who was convicted of murdering Yeardley Love, will not go to trial for a while.

Wednesday, September 30th 2015, 5:21 PM EDT

Updated:

Thursday, October 29th 2015, 12:30 PM EDT

George Huguely being escorted into court during his murder trial.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) -
The civil case against former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely, who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, UVA lacrosse player Yeardley Love, will not go to trial for a while.

Attorneys for Huguely and the family of Yeardley Love were in Charlottesville Circuit Court Wednesday. Love's mother is suing Huguely for about $30,000 in compensatory damages and $1 million in punitive damages for the 2010 murder.

Wednesday, Judge Richard Moore set the trial date for the wrongful death lawsuit against Huguely for three weeks in March of 2017. The judge also ruled that the attorneys on both sides will be able to see the police reports.

"The court is going to enter an order permitting the parties to obtain access to the police investigation reports,’ said Paul Beckman, an attorney for the Love family.

This civil suit has been on hold while Huguely’s appeals process in his criminal conviction plays out.

Defense attorneys have appealed Huguely's case ever since he was convicted of the second-degree murder of Yeardley Love in 2010. In 2012, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison for that crime.

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide by October 5 if it will hear Huguely's appeal. His defense maintains Huguely's Sixth Amendment right to counsel was violated during his original trial. One of his attorneys became sick nine days into the trial, missing several days of court proceedings and was unable to interview a defense expert about medical issues.

Two federal court cases in Maryland have also been delayed. Those are cases filed against Huguely by insurance companies paying for his attorneys in this suit.

Huguely is refusing to be interviewed by the insurance companies under oath while his criminal case plays out, citing his Fifth Amendment rights. The companies say that means they shouldn't have to cover his costs.

The three week trial date for the civil suit in Charlottesville is set to start on March 6, 2017. By then the criminal case will be wrapped up. If the Supreme Court denies Huguely’s petition on Monday, then his appeal process will be over.

Judge Moore also wants the other pending cases against Huguely in Maryland federal court to be wrapped up before the trial begins in the civil suit.